The Star Burns Brightly
by Kez Ramsey
Summary: AU: What if the Rebels hadn't won? What if the Emperor hadn't been killed by Vader? What if Luke had died? The fate of the alliance would fall to his sister, else it would fall altogether. Dark Leia, Leia vs. LukePlease review!
1. Chapter 1

AN:Okay, so here it is. I'm not sure if any of these exist but if they didn't before, they do now. Introducing Dark Leia . . . ra haha . . . They probably exist somewhere, I just haven't had the time to read every single SWfic that's on this glorious site. Hope you like. Ahh, I'm slightly trying some semi Han/Leia sap. It's my first try at it so tell me what ya think. Thanx.

! This all belongs to G. Lucas. I am merely using his chars and concepts to create me own SW fic. Ta da.

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What happened? What happened up there? Why didn't you listen to me? You tell me all these things and then disappear from my life? How could you?

_He didn't disappear. He was killed, murdered by his own father - your father. You know that. Everyone knows it. _

He killed Luke.

_He slaughtered your brother. Your own father murdered your brother. _

No! He's not my father! That monster is not my father!

_He killed your brother. _

"Leia?" A warm hand brought her out of her reverie. "C'mon, we gotta get going," Han said softly, squeezing her shoulder again.

Leia exhaled heavily and nodded. She brought a hand up to brush tears out of her eyes but found they had already dried. I haven't cried in so long . . .

"Mistress Leeah, are you alright?" C-3PO questioned.

"She's fine, goldenrod - just get in the Falcon, will ya?" Han bellowed, wrapping a protective arm around Leia. From within the ship Chewbacca, growled, followed by some shrill bleeps from Artoo.

"I'm okay, Han," Leia assured the man holding her. She stood up from her seat on some canister and hugged him, returning the embrace. Then she kissed him quickly and let go.

Han traced a loose wisp of hair behind her ear. "You sure?" he asked.

Leia nodded.

ooo

"Where are we heading, captain?" Leia asked cheerfully as she took a seat behind Chewie.

"Ah, I know a place that will hide us good till we get that transmission of yours," Han assured her.

"May I remind you, Mistress Leeah, that the last time General Solo assured us a place was safe, he was carted away by Boba Fett," 3PO pointed out.

Chewie let out a guttural response.

"Well, I was just- "

Again, the wookie bellowed.

"Well-" C-3PO was apparently at a loss for words. The protocol droid stood and left the cockpit.

Leia laughed.

Han turned to her. "Good to see you smiling," he said, smiling himself.

"Luke would want me to move on, get something positive out of all of this," the former princess explained. "I'm not going to dwell on the past, because I can't do anything about it - however, what I can do is make sure Vader pays for what he did."

Han regarded the woman he loved cautiously. Though he knew whom he was talking to, something in her voice had put him on edge. Hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Han turned away and closed his eyes for a moment.

Leia didn't pay much attention to Han's abrupt exit from the conversation. She sat back with her arms folded across her chest.

Vader will pay for Luke's death. I'll make sure of it myself.

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Pleez review! Thanks for reading – k. ramsey.


	2. Chapter 2

! I don't own any of this, except for the plot.

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_"He's my father," Luke said, sounding almost ashamed. _

_Leia grimaced with disgust though she didn't mean to, "Your father?" _

_"There's more, it won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must." Luke's averted gaze finally met Leia's again, "If I don't make it back - you're the only hope for the alliance." _

_"Luke, don't talk that way," Leia interjected. "You have a power I . . I don't understand and could never have." _

_This time it was Luke's turn to interject, "You're wrong, Leia. You have that power too, in time you'll learn to use it as I have . . . " He looked away again, pausing to collect his thoughts. The dim moonlight cast shadows across his face but Leia could see the pain he was trying to hide. "The Force is strong in my family," Luke finally said. "My father has it, I have it . . .my sister has it." He looked up at her with knowing eyes. Leia inhaled quickly. "Yes, it's you Leia." _

_She nodded slightly, "I know, somehow . . . I've always known." The words didn't seem that surprising now that she spoke them. In her heart it had always been the truth - now that truth was out in the open for both of them to see. _

_Luke sighed, "Then you know why I must face him."_

"No!" Leia screamed as she shot up from her seat.

Han turned around faster than she would have thought possible in the small cockpit, "What?"

Leia sat back down and rubbed the back of her neck. Her last memory of Luke - did it always have to come to her as a nightmare? She looked at Han with a half grin, "Nightmare, I'm fine."

Han didn't seem satisfied. "You sure? Why don't we go for a walk or something to clear your head," he suggested as he offered her his hand.

_Leia held down tears through sheer willpower. "I can't tell you," she managed. Han's stare caused her to turn around so that she wouldn't have to face him. A lump in her throat massed. _

_Han stood up, swinging his arm in the direction Luke had left. "Could you tell Luke, is that who you could tell?" he snapped. _

"I'm fine, just leave me alone." Leia demanded, rising herself, and waving Han's hand out of her way. She left the cockpit without another word, leaving Han staring and flabberghasted in her wake. He sat back down, blindly and just blinked incredulously.

Leia walked the outer ring of the Falcon for a second time before stopping and leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her chest. What the hell was that? she asked herself.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"What the hell was that?" Han wondered aloud once he had snapped himself out of his stupefied state.

Chewie let out a low roar and flung his long, furry arms in the air.

"What do you mean you don't know anything about women? You've got a wife."

The wookie gave an off-hand response.

"Point taken, wookies and humans are a bit different."

"Actually sir, anatomically speaking wookies share many similiarities with-"

"I didn't ask you," Han remarked, spinning around in his chair to glare at the golden droid standing in the doorway of the cockpit.

"Well, I was just here to inform you that Mistress Leeah looks quite distressed."

"Where is she?"

"As I recall she was near the ramp door when I saw her-"

"Thanks, goldenrod," Han mumbled as he shoved his way past 3PO. He soon found Leia, staring seemingly at some unknown point of interest. She was leaning with her back against the wall and her arms folded across one another. He approached her cautiously, not wanting another blow up as before. "Hey, if I said anything-"

Leia turned, "I'm sorry, Han. I don't know what-"

"Forget it," he said, smiling. span style"

I never could resist that grin of his, Leia thought whimsically. She unfolded her arms and pressed them against the wall she was leaning on. "Han, you know that . . . that thing that I couldn't tell you back on Endor?" she asked, looking straight ahead. She was embarassed by what she had done and now found her cheeks burned if she met the smuggler's gaze.

"Yeah?"

"I think you should know, I mean it's something you should know . . ." she trailed off, embarrassed even more with her lack of articulation. "I have to tell someone before this eats me alive."

"So tell me."

Leia nodded, "Luke, he's . . . he was my brother." She turned to Han, her eyes pleading with his not to judge her as she had Luke. "Vader's my father."

Han's reaction was not what Leia had been expecting. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. His warmth and closeness was the only thing that held back tears of shame . . . and yet relief. She had been hiding that secret only for a few days, but now that it was no longer just hers - she felt as if a weight she had toiled with for years had finally been uplifted.

"You're not like him, Leia, never."

Chewbacca's unrelenting roar woke even the sleep deprived Han Solo. He stretched and yawned before peeling himself off one of the game-room's couches. Leia was busy reading something off a datapad.

"Morning," she greeted with a warm smile. "Couldn't sleep, but I didn't want to wake you." The two had been lounging on the couch together during the night, but rest had not privileged her with a visit.

"What's that?" Han asked, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and stretching again.

Leia shrugged, "Oh, just some of Luke's stuff - his research on the jedi." Han regarded Leia for a moment. "What? It beats the trash you have on this bucket of bolts. The only thing I could find was some guide to Sabacc and a few old trade routes," she replied, sounding more like her old self with each spoken word.

Han gave her his infamous smirk, "Hey, as far as I'm concerned, that's all you need to get by."

"Yes, well getting by and not being bored out of your mind are two different things, now aren't they?"

"Well, you won't have to worry about boredom-" Han was cut off by another of Chewie's bellows, "Yeah, I know. furball." He bowed melodramatically. "'Scuse me, while I go hit my partner over the head with a hydrospanner for waking me up, but by the way - we're here." Han left the room yelling something at the wookie at the controls.

Leia's smile didn't fade as she watched him leave. She merely went back to her studies. The time was drawing near.

_. . . in time you'll learn to use it as I have . . ._

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Kind of bland, sorry, it's a bit of a bridge between the first chapter, which I liked and the next, which will be chalk full of better stuff. Sorry, too, if my sap sucks. Thanks for reading, remember no flames required but reviews are appreciated! – k.ramsey 


	3. Chapter 3

AN:Ah, finally, chapter three! Sorry for such a delay; without further ado, I bid you - read . . .

! As before and as always. I own nothing of this except the plot.

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The planet Han had selected as a refuge was some unknown backwater rock that merely had a bunch of random numbers for a name. There was so much dust in the atmosphere that it seemed to be a lifeform of its own.

"Nice place, captain," Leia quipped.

Han gave her a sideways glance while keeping most of his attention on the power-down of the ship, "Hey, I'm in it for the gratitude."

Chewbacca muttered something that seemed to be a jab at Han who feigned a great inner wound with a mournful look.

"So, now what?" Leia asked. Once the remnants of the Alliance had rendezvoused, there would be a transmission sent to her and any other remaining executives. However, in the escape following the fleet's near destruction, Lando had sacrificed the comm dish for survival. They needed some equipment before anyone was getting a transmission.

Han sat back in his chair as Chewie handled the last of the ship's post-flight procedures. "Hmm, there's a few good dealers around here. However, I'd say our best bet is seeing if old Berence Trifold is still in business," he decided.

"Trifold? Is that his real name?" Leia wondered.

"Probably not," Han answered as he got up and stretched. "Interested in joining me, milady?" he gave her as much of a bow as was possible in the cockpit and then offered her a gloved hand.

Leia smiled but just got up and walked off. "I told you about calling me things like that," she said without looking behind her, all the while shaking her finger disapprovingly for Han to see.

"Well, it's a lot better than what I could be calling you," the smuggler decreed, shaking his finger in turn at the departing princess. He sighed, realizing it had no effect then removed his flight gloves and stuffed them in his pocket. "Be back soon, Chewie, keep an eye on the Falcon. Hopefully when I return I'll have some goodies to add to her."

The wookie bellowed with delight at the notion.

ooo

Outside, Leia was waiting for Han, strapping on a blaster holster while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with C-3PO. She looked up at Han as he approached. Artoo bleeped a greeting.

"Good day, sir - "

"Oh, no," Han whined. "He's not coming with us, Berence hates droids." Artoo let out a low, somber tone. His photoreceptor looked the Corellian up and down. When there was no more response, he lifted up to let out his wheels and then ascended back into the belly of the Falcon. "You too." C-3PO seemed to let out a frustrated sigh but then complied as well. Moments later, Leia and Han were by themselves once again.

"You're sure you don't owe this guy any money, right?" Leia asked as the two began making their way out off the landing pad.

Han took a few moments before responding, "No." Leia cast him a look. "No!"

"As long as you're sure."

"I am. Hell, I think he owes me something."

"There's a break from routine."

ooo

The establishment simply titled, as Trifold's was an average pilot dive. Leia hadn't been to a lot of them over her years, but as time went by she found herself frequenting them more and more often. Trifold's was dimly lit with an assortment of aromas circulating throughout. The place was pretty simple - some chairs and tables, booths along the wall and a bar in the middle. Han lead the way up to the bartender,

"Where's Berence?"

The bartender regarded him for a moment with multi-faceted eyes. He blinked, then merely pointed to a door at the far end of the dive. Han nodded, tossed a cred chip onto the counter and then made off in the designated direction. The door was sided by two large bouncers of a species Leia couldn't place. Whatever they were, they were almost as big as Chewbacca with black scales and yellow-slitted eyes.

"I'm looking for Berence," Han stated.

"Who are you?" one of the humanoids demanded.

"Han Solo. He knows me, business stuff."

The bouncer opened the door and went inside. Moments later, he returned and nodded Leia and Han's permission to enter as well.

Inside was a stuffy office cramped with too much furniture and sitting at the main lounge chair in the middle of the room sat Berence Trifold. He stood as Han and Leia entered, a knowing grin stretched across his face.

"Han Solo, nice to see you again."

Han tipped an imaginary hat, "As always Berence."

"And what a lovely companion you've acquired," Berence regarded Leia studiously.

Han put a protective arm out in front of her. "Business, Berence? I need some things."

"Of course, what smuggler of your grade doesn't at some time or another?" the dealer mused. He stood and nodded, "What is it?"

"Nothing special, just a new dish for the Falcon - got clipped on my last run."

"I can do that." Berence then let out a somewhat muffled, "But not for you."

"What? What the hell are you talking about? You owe me," Han demanded.

"Yes I do, Han Solo. I do owe you a favor - so, I'm going to be generous and let your ladyfriend live while you pay a visit to hell."

On cue the bouncer behind Han and Leia pulled a blaster and tucked it at the back of Han's neck. The man stiffened but was outwardly jovial,

"You got to be kidding, Berence. What did I do to deserve this, huh?"

"You dropped a run that belonged to Jabba the Hutt."

Han closed his eyes in frustration. One time - will I ever live this down? "Berence, that was ages ago and Jabba is dead. There's no longer a price on my head."

"You're wrong, Solo," Berence replied. "Because, you see, not only did you drop cargo belonging to Jabba, then you went a killed him. Let me tell you, his family is not happy with that."

Han found himself rubbing his brow in frustration. "Would it make any difference, if I were to tell you she's actually the one who killed him?" He muttered, pointing at Leia who rolled her eyes.

Berence laughed. "No."

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Thanks for reading. Reviews greatly appreciated! (I have no life, I live for them!) . . . ra haha . . . – k.ramsey 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Don't be mad! You'll see . . .

! Disclaimer: As before and as always.

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Leia's heart was racing, and despite Han's best efforts to appear calm, she could tell he was just as close to panic as she was. He was sweating while his fingers twitched nervously.

She had to figure a way out of this. There had to be something she could do.

"Now, just put your hands up nice and easy, Solo," Berence instructed.

"And if I don't? What? Are you going to kill me?" Han commented. He did as he was told nonetheless.

There was a fear growing in the pit of Leia's stomach. She was going to lose him if she didn't act.

"They say you even managed to knock off Boba Fett," Berence was saying as he unholstered his blaster and switched the setting to kill. "I liked that guy." The trader gestured to the bodyguard behind Han to take a step to the side.

"Oh, you know him," Han rambled. "He's probably still kicking around." He smiled as serenely as possible.

Berence sneered back in reply then pulled the trigger.

The shot rang in Leia's ears.

A flash of red.

The smell of burnt air.

Han clutched his hand over the gaping, smouldering wound, fell to his knees, then finally to the ground.

There was silence.

Leia could only stare at Han's limp form. She knelt down and touched the back of his neck tentatively. Something horrible caught her eye. Blood pooled around her knees. Han's blood.

She shut her eyes. There were no tears, just anger . . . hatred. Someone else had been taken from her. She shook her head. Not someone else, _Han_. And suddenly she realized a swelling fury deep inside her, igniting her blood . . .

She opened her eyes.

Berence was saying, ". . . managed to knock off Boba Fett." He took out his blaster and switched the setting.

He was going to die again!

"I liked that guy."

Without thinking, her hand went to her hip and found its place around the handle of her blaster, her slender finger flicking on the killswitch.

Two clean shots.

Neither the trader nor the gargantuan bodyguard saw it coming. They fell to the ground, dead.

Han's mouth was agape either from his last spoken word or just caught in a stupor. He stood there for a couple of moments, his hands still in the air, boggling at Berence's body. Then he turned to Leia, features saturated with utter shock.

"How-how the hell did you do that?" he demanded.

"Do what?"

"You were a blur. You shot them before they even realized you had moved for your blaster! You do realize this, don't you?"

Leia just hugged him fiercely.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

There was pain radiating throughout his entire body, throughout his entire being. Machines helped him to breathe and kept his heart pumping when he did not have the strength to do it himself. He was suspended in a pool of bacta, watching the emperor look him over.

The withered form seemed to be attempting to glare at the emperor, but the man was too weak to keep it up for long. Darth Vader pitied his son, for he knew what it was like to be in that tank.

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See? I told you there was no reason to be angry!Thanks for reading! Please review.-k.ramsey

PS- Hey, "m", thanks. I guess I did goof on the summary. Basically, I just meant that it ended a lot differently than in the movie. Anyways, thanks everyone for the reviews thus far! (No specific order) Thanks Jaina Solo Potter, The Beautiful Padmé Amidala, FullMoon-insanity, Cowgirl Blondie, Zazzie, youte and Sweathdeath04.


	5. Chapter 5

After vacating the late Berence Trifold's, Leia and Han decided to go to a dealer whom Han had never dealt with before. The tactic proved successful when they got the dish they needed with little hassle and no more standoffs.

Chewbacca was waiting anxiously outside the Falcon. He roared triumphantly as Han came into view hauling a cart with the dish behind him. The wookie rushed past his partner/best friend in reckless abandon, heaved up the piece of equipment and quickly brought it over to the crane he had set up during the wait. As soon as he had the comm dish up to the level of the ship's topside, he bounded up there as well and set to work.

"That was some luck back there, hey?" Han remarked, wrapping an arm around Leia's shoulders. "Thanks."

"You said you two were on good terms," Leia chided.

"It wasn't my fault!" Han defended.

Leia shook her head dismissively, ending their embrace abruptly as she walked back into the Falcon. Han watched her go, thought about it for a moment, then followed after her.

"I'm sorry," he said from the doorway to the gameroom.

Leia was sitting at the gaming table, her back to him. Her shoulders heaved slightly with every breath. Her face was buried in her hands.

"Leia, are you . . . crying?" Concerned, Han dropped to kneel beside her, resting a hand on her back. "Alright, I'm a moron – but I can't be that hopeless, can I?" he teased, flashing her his best cheerful smile.

She didn't even lift her head up from her hands.

"Leia," Han moved in closer, kissing her shoulder and pulling back some wayward strands of hair from her face.

"I saw you die, Han," she finally said between sobs.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you die. Berence brought out his gun and shot you. It was _so_ real." She turned to him, eyes red from tears. "Han, if I ever lost you,"

A finger to her lips stopped her, "Hey, don't be like that. We've gotten out of a lot of scrapes, and I'm sure there'll be plenty more."

Leia was silent for a moment, then smirked, "Don't be so optimistic." She placed her own hand on top of Han's.

Han squeezed Leia's hand and kissed it.Then he stood up. "C'mon," he said gesturing with a nod in the direction of the cockpit. "I'll show you how to re-calibrate a new dish."

Leia stood as well and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She grabbed Han by the shirt playfully. "Couldn't the droids handle that?" she asked coyly, brushing her lips against Han's as she spoke.

Han placed his hands around her waist and pulled her a bit closer to him. "It's pretty boring, anyway," he conceded.


End file.
